Personal Video Recorders now under £50

Canny_Geordie

char_student wrote: »

twin tuner means that you can record one channel and watch another

Actually twin tuner means that you can record two channels and then watch normal domestic television. e.g.record film 4, bbc3 and watch bbc1.

sleepali

Canny_Geordie wrote: »

Actually twin tuner means that you can record two channels and then watch normal domestic television. e.g.record film 4, bbc3 and watch bbc1.

Actually, if you're recording two channels at the same time you cannot watch a third different channel through the PVR - you can however, watch a pre-recorded programme at the same time.

Woby_Tide

char_student wrote: »

twin tuner means that you can record one channel and watch another

On some models

sleepali wrote: »

I have a twin tuner PVR and I can record TWO different channels PLUS watch a previously recorded program - all at the same time!

On some models

Canny_Geordie wrote: »

Actually twin tuner means that you can record two channels and then watch normal domestic television. e.g.record film 4, bbc3 and watch bbc1.

Sort of true but if it's a PVR it's Freeview so why would it be limited to 'domestic'(I assume you mean analogue) TV?

sleepali wrote: »

Actually, if you're recording two channels at the same time you cannot watch a third different channel through the PVR - you can however, watch a pre-recorded programme at the same time.

Again, on some models, on other models you can record 2 programmes and watch another live, it all depends on what MUX(es) the 2 recorded programmes are to what else you can watch at the same time

fagun

MSE_Lawrence wrote: »

• DigiHome PVR80 - twin tuner - £49. delivered, or £45 on orders over £50.
  Ebuyer has a similar box to the one above. The imaginatively titled PVR80 has an 80gb capacity and twin tuners (so you can watch one show whilst recording another), but it won't record two programmes at once from the off (though there's a way to make it do so via a 'firmware reflash'). It's user-friendly, and should be up and running in minutes. Orders over £50 at ebuyer are delivered free, so it's worth spending an extra fiver to qualify.

160gb (around 75hrs recording):

• Dabs Value 160 gb PVR - twin tuner - £81 delivered.
  An extra £35 gets you this box from web retailer Dabs' "Value" range, which has twice the capacity of those above, useful if you intend to keep certain programmes for a long time, or you're sharing recording space with the rest of your family. Aside from the extra space, its functionality is very similar; it'll record a programme while you watch another & pause live tv etc. Though again, you can't record two shows at the same time straight out of the box.

Seen a better deal? Post it below and I'll add it in to this post.

Ebuyer does an 160GB version of the DigiHome for £77.55 Undercutting DABS):
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136094

However both boxes are referred to as Grade A - does that mean refurbished?

[Deleted User]

Beware some of the lower priced deals on refurbished models.

They are generally models which have proved faulty and have been returned to Argos etc.

I bought one and it was fine for a week then it packed in. Luckily I was able to return it just in time to get my money back, but they had to be reminded to refund my originally carriage charges.

Eventually got a similar brand new model from Asda under their Durabrand for £69.00, only £15.00 more than the so-called bargain.

As with much in life - you get what you pay for!

[Deleted User]

fagun wrote: »

Ebuyer does an 160GB version of the DigiHome for £77.55 Undercutting DABS):
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136094

However both boxes are referred to as Grade A - does that mean refurbished?

Yes - I got one and had to send it back as it proved faulty!

RichTeaBiscuit

Be wary of the refurbished Digifusion, I bought a 40gb refurb from Microdirect last summer. It came bundled with an uprated 5A power supply which was the original models fault apparantly.. however 6months later it went into the dreaded 'hold' mode. I didn't bother sending it back for an exchange but I followed the instructions here http://www.mousemat.f2s.com/FVRT100/index.htm and now have a quiet, 120gb pvr with custom software. Total cost about £65.

malcyplop

Here is a useful "Function" comparison table of some twin tuner models.
http://www.pvrjunction.co.uk/compare/

I-LOV-MONEY

My telly is analogue. So if I bought this box, will it receive the freeview digital channels, and can I record off them, without having the telly on?

Ta.

ashmania

I decided to pay a bit more and buy a Digihome DTR160 DTR with 160GB HDD from my local Argos for just £94.99. Works fine and changed the way we watch telly and we never miss a program! I always buy top brand models but I had never heard of digihome before this and only brought this because of the positive reviews its had. Not sure if its the same model as the digihome on ebuyer.